Foothill Transit's LaShawn King Gillespie was recently recognized by Senator Ed Hernandez at an awards ceremony to honor the 2013 Women of Achievement for the 24th Senate District in celebration of Women's History Month.
The event was held on March 28, 2013 ~ 2:30 p.m. ~ Grace T. Black Auditorium, 3130 N. Tyler Avenue, El Monte, CA, 91731. The award is presented to women believed to have achieved a great deal; these women are called Women of Achievement. They have done something that sets them apart from others.
Following is a list of all of the women honored at the ceremony:
- Emerging Leader: 8th Grade Student, Fairgrove Academy
- Business Leader: LaShawn King Gillespie, Foothill Transit
- Community Service: Sandy Futter, Covina Assembly of God
- Education Leader: Janett Perales, San Gabriel High School
- Environment Protection/Justice: Wendy La, Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster
- Health Care: Shirley Johnson, RN – City of Hope
- Military: Staff Sergeant Keisha Kirk, Azusa Recruiting Center
- Public Safety/First Responders: Patricia Chebac-Reza, Fuego Tech Fire Rangers
- Social Services: Sarah Watson, LA Works
- Vonunteerism: Tracy Moronatty, El Monte Alliance to Keep Youth
- Tobacco Free
LaShawn King Gillespie is the Director of Customer Service and Operations at Foothill Transit, the largest primary fixed route transit operator in the San Gabriel Valley.
LaShawn’s responsibilities at Foothill Transit include planning transit service, monitoring and analyzing route and system performance, projecting and monitoring the annual service budget, and overseeing the coordination with member cities and transit partners. Her in-depth understanding of communications, as well as her attention to detail and insight of operation needs, allows her to effectively collaborate with multiple departments to unify one of the regions’ largest transit systems.
LaShawn recently wrapped up one of Foothill Transit’s most ambitious planning projects, the Bus Signal Priority Project, which began before her tenure as the planning director and showcased her ability to get multiple city governments to cooperate with each other to realize this important step in regional mobility.
In 2010, LaShawn was named to Mass Transit Magazine’s ”Top 40 Under 40”. She has participated in APTA’s Leadership program, the Eno Foundation’s Eno Transit Executive Seminar, and has represented Foothill Transit nationwide.
In addition to her work as a business professional, LaShawn serves on the Board of Directors for Citrus Valley Health Partners, and is the past chair of the Irwindale Chamber of Commerce. She also finds time to volunteer at her church and her children’s school.
LaShawn King Gillespie is a distinguished professional in her field, and involved member of her community, and an inspiration to women seeking a specialized career in the transportation industry.
